Nico Hoerner doubled in a run against former teammate Kyle Hendricks, and the Chicago Cubs held off a late rally to beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Sunday afternoon, completing a three-game sweep at Angel Stadium.
The win gave the Cubs their third consecutive series victory, improving their record to 8-2 over their last 10 games. Jameson Taillon (9-6) earned the win with five steady innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out three. The right-hander has pitched at least five innings in six of his last seven starts.
Daniel Palencia dramatically closed the door, picking up his 20th save despite walking the potential go-ahead run in the ninth. With two runners on, the hard-throwing reliever struck out rookie Christian Moore with a 99.9 mph fastball before freezing Bryce Teodosio on strike three to seal the victory.
The Angels, who fell to 2-7 since sweeping the Dodgers in late July, once again struggled to find timely offense outside Taylor Ward. The veteran outfielder homered in the first inning for his 30th of the season and added an RBI double in the sixth, marking the first time he has reached the 30-home-run plateau in his career. Ward is among the few bright spots in an otherwise uneven stretch for Los Angeles.
Hendricks (6-9), facing the Cubs for the first time since leaving the franchise after 11 seasons, could not contain his former club. The right-hander allowed four runs on five hits across 4 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out two. Hendricks, a key figure in Chicago’s 2016 World Series title run, joined the Angels this offseason, hoping to bolster their rotation.
After Ward’s first-inning homer gave Los Angeles an early 1-0 lead, the Cubs responded in the third when Kyle Tucker singled home Pete Crow-Armstrong. Hoerner followed in the fourth with his RBI double, putting Chicago ahead 2-1. The Cubs extended their lead in the fifth as Crow-Armstrong delivered a sacrifice fly and Carson Kelly lined a run-scoring single to make it 4-1.
The Angels clawed back in the sixth when Ward’s double plated Nolan Schanuel, and Luis Rengifo’s groundout brought another run, trimming the deficit to one. But despite multiple chances in the late innings, Los Angeles couldn’t push across the tying run.
Tucker continued his hot streak at the plate, going 5 for 12 with three home runs and seven RBIs in the series. His production has sparked Chicago’s lineup after he rested three games against Milwaukee last week.
With the sweep, Chicago improved its record against American League opponents and kept pace in the National League wild card standings. The Cubs now head to San Francisco for a three-game set, though they have not yet named a starter for Tuesday’s opener at Oracle Park.
The Angels will look to regroup quickly as they return to Texas for a divisional matchup. Right-hander José Soriano (8-9, 4.00 ERA) is scheduled to start Monday’s opener against the Rangers.
Sportsbooks had the Cubs as slight -115 favorites entering Sunday’s game, with the Angels listed at -105. The over/under was set at 8.5 runs, and the combined seven fell short, rewarding under bettors. The Cubs’ win also secured them an easy cover on the moneyline.
